Astra: Forgotten and Remembered Again

Adrian

"Remind me again how they found us." I say sarcastically. Starr just told me that the army found us again. And they have tanks.

"I told you, I don't know." She said impatiently. "All I know is they're here at our doorstep, and we need everyone with magic to help protect everyone."

"Okay, okay, I'm coming." I say, standing up from my desk.

She wasn't kidding when she said they found us.

I mean...like, five armies surrounded the abandoned town we stayed at. 

"Adrian and I will get the ones that pass you and Starr." William said when we were planning our attack. "Leon and Starr will deliver the biggest blows to the army, hopefully striking down most, if not all, of the people there. Me and Adrian will try and destroy the tanks as well...sound good?"

We all nodded in agreement. I'm not gonna lie, this fight is gonna be awesome, but I'm kind of scared of dying. 

William, Leon, and Starr have your back, Adrian. 

You'll be fine.

You'll be fine.

We all got in the air just before they started closing in on us.

"Now or never." Leon says, making his hands glow. "I'll take one half, you take the other."

Starr nodded in agreement, and set of on the opposite side.

It was an intense battle. 

Starr and Leon got most of the army, but those who lived their blows kept coming through to try and get to us. 

Honestly, there were just too many.

"Just give us the twins," Someone announced over a megaphone once. "And we'll be out of your hair."

Oh, there's no way we're giving them away, buster.

"Adrian!!" William shouted over multiple gunshots, trying to be heard. "There's too many!! We're going to lose unless a miracle happens!"

"I think our loss is becoming very possible, thanks for reminding me." I say, blasting a large crowd of corrupted soldiers. "We can't let them get to the girls at any cost!!"

Suddenly, the walkie-talkie attached to my waist emitted sound.

"Adrian? Adrian, you there?"

Rylie's voice could be heard coming out of the speaker. Hopefully nothing got to him...

I lift the walkie-talkie to my mouth and speak into it, holding it with one hand, and fighting with the other.

"Hey, man, I'm here."

"Oh, good. Just want to warn you, I'm coming to help."

"No. No, no, no, nice try. But no. The guns will get you immediately. Sorry, but no."

"Too late. Look behind you."

I look behind me to see Rylie running along the rooftops of tall buildings, charging at the evil soldiers in front of us.

"Hello, roommate." He says before jumping off the roof at the crowd of soldiers, kicking multiple at his landing. While in the crowd, he punched, kicked, and even threw soldiers around like it was nothing.

Before you knew it, no soldier was left standing.

I think I'm blushing. Am I?

"Th-That was awesome." I say, stammering over my pounding, lovesick heart.

After he came...things were doing better. Not perfectly incredible, but better. 

"If this stubborn fighting continues," said the man with the megaphone. "We'll have no choice but take one of your friends instead of the twins."

"He doesn't mean it." I say, unsure and hopeful. But we all knew he was fully serious. He will take one of us if we keep up this fighting. 

"Okay...brace yourselves."

At that instant, machine guns shot rapidly and aimlessly. 

They were trying to hit one of us. Not kill one of us...but injure us so we can't fight.

I took cover quickly and easily (I was already fighting from inside a building), but it was Rylie I was worried about.

He was stuck in the middle of the street.

Exposed.

"Rylie!! Rylie, get down!!" I shouted.

I was too slow to see the gun aiming for him.

Too slow to reach out my hand, summon a shield, and protect him.

Too slow to run out and help him once a bullet had pierced his skin. 

So, before I knew it, he was shot in his leg. 

And soldiers were carrying him away.

I tried, I really did, I tried to get him back, but they shot me multiple times in my shoulder, chest, and legs. 

All I could do was watch as they took him away.

Watch as his scared, terrified, beautiful face disappeared in the crowd of eerie soldiers.

Every moment afterwards was vague and distant.

All that mattered was that I let him get taken.